The Packwood Memorial Diary Server

I often see threads debating whether the courts have the right to compel  
you to reveal your encryption key.  Some say yes, some say no.

Under the assumption that courts *do* have the right (or power) to force  
you to reveal your key, the problem now becomes:

How can you prevent the government from proving you have encrypted  
documents?

One Answer: Don't keep encrypted documents in your possession.


Somebody could create a Document Server to store encrypted documents.   
Users would somehow get an anonymous Document Server account number when  
they subscribe to the service.  Users would use the remailer system to  
send encrypted documents to the Document Server.  The account numbers  
would be used to organize the document database and for billing (the  
tricky part).


Given a Document Server, the problem now becomes:  How can you prevent the  
government from proving you use a Document Server.  This seems like a  
strictly technical problem, unlike the "can they compel you to reveal your  
key" problem.


Jim_Miller@suite.com

> Given a Document Server, the problem now becomes:  How can you prevent the  
> government from proving you use a Document Server.  This seems like a  
> strictly technical problem, unlike the "can they compel you to reveal your  
> key" problem.

	This also puts a huge strain on the crypto system itself.  If
all your documents are in a virtually [no pun intended..well..maybe
just a little one] public place, the crypto you use had better be damned
secure.  TTFN.

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Jim Miller said:

> 
> 
> I often see threads debating whether the courts have the right to compel  
> you to reveal your encryption key.  Some say yes, some say no.
> 
> Under the assumption that courts *do* have the right (or power) to force  
> you to reveal your key, the problem now becomes:
> 
> How can you prevent the government from proving you have encrypted  
> documents?
> 
> One Answer: Don't keep encrypted documents in your possession.
> 
> 
> Somebody could create a Document Server to store encrypted documents.   
> Users would somehow get an anonymous Document Server account number when  
> they subscribe to the service.  Users would use the remailer system to  
> send encrypted documents to the Document Server.  The account numbers  
> would be used to organize the document database and for billing (the  
> tricky part).
> 
> 
> Given a Document Server, the problem now becomes:  How can you prevent the  
> government from proving you use a Document Server.  This seems like a  
> strictly technical problem, unlike the "can they compel you to reveal your  
> key" problem.
> 
> 
> Jim_Miller@suite.com
> 
> 


I'd donate a used 40MB or so drive for a purpose such as this.  You could then
allocate 30MB to the account, and use the other 10MB as the fee for a year or
whatever.  It should be workable.  And anonymous.